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Use find when the answer must reflect the filesystem right now or when you need filters such as type, size, age, or permissions. Use locate when you need a fast filename search from an index; run updatedb when that index is missing recent entries.
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What find and locate actually do
find walks one or more directory trees at query time and evaluates an expression for every item it encounters. Its results describe the filesystem as it exists during that traversal. GNU Findutils summarizes the program as searching “a directory tree to find a file or group of files.”
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locate does not normally walk directories during your query. It searches one or more prebuilt filename databases. That makes a name lookup very quick, but the result can be stale or incomplete. The database is generated or refreshed by updatedb, whose configuration determines which directories are indexed and how often the refresh occurs.
| Need | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A file created moments ago | find |
It examines the current directory tree instead of waiting for an index refresh. |
| Filter by size, type, age, permissions, or several conditions | find |
Its expression language supports metadata predicates and compound logic. |
| A quick lead from a known or partial filename | locate |
It scans a filename index rather than traversing every directory. |
| Search only paths covered by an index and accept possible staleness | locate |
Results depend on the last successful updatedb run and its configured scope. |
| Confirm a path before changing or deleting anything | find |
A live traversal can verify that the object still exists and meets your predicates. |
Using find: start with a path, then add an expression
The general form is:
find [starting-point...] [expression]The starting point is not optional in the practical sense: find . searches below the current directory, while find /home searches below /home. You can provide several starting points, such as find /etc /var -name 'settings.conf'.
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Find an exact name
find . -name 'report.pdf'This searches the current directory and all of its descendants for a name matching report.pdf. The pattern is quoted so the shell passes it unchanged to find.
Match a pattern, regardless of case
find /home -iname '*.jpg'-iname performs a case-insensitive name match. The quotes around '*.jpg' are essential: without them, the shell may expand the wildcard against files in your current directory before find receives it.
Restrict results to files or directories
find /var/log -type f -name '*.log'
find /tmp -type d -name 'cache*'-type f selects regular files and -type d selects directories. Combining a type test with a name test prevents similarly named objects of another type from appearing in the output.
Search by size
find /data -type f -size +100MThis selects regular files larger than 100 megabytes using GNU find‘s size suffix. A leading + means greater than the stated threshold; a leading - means less than it. If you omit a suffix, GNU find measures in 512-byte blocks, so using an explicit suffix is clearer.
Search by modification time
find /var/log -type f -mtime -1-mtime -1 means the file was modified less than one 24-hour period ago, measured in complete 24-hour periods from the time the command starts. It is not the same as “modified since midnight.” For a live, current-state check, run the command again rather than relying on an old result list.
How find evaluates multiple tests
find evaluates expressions from left to right, with operator precedence. Adjacent tests are implicitly combined with logical AND. The -o operator means OR, and its precedence can surprise you when it is mixed with other tests.
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find /var/log -type f ( -name '*.log' -o -name '*.txt' )The escaped parentheses make the OR apply only to the two name tests, while -type f applies to both alternatives. You can also quote the parentheses, for example '(' and ')', so the shell does not treat them as syntax.
Combine age and size conditions
find /data -type f -size +100M -mtime -7This returns regular files larger than 100 megabytes that were modified within the last seven complete 24-hour periods. Add each predicate only after you have confirmed what it means for your task; a narrow expression is safer than a broad one.
Limit how deep the search goes
find . -maxdepth 2 -type f -name '*.conf'GNU find supports depth controls such as -maxdepth. They are useful when a full recursive walk would include unrelated subdirectories. Availability and option details can vary with non-GNU implementations, so check the local manual when writing portable scripts.
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Match semantics and readable output
With -name or -iname, find tests the name of each directory entry while walking the tree. The starting path controls where that test is applied, so the same expression can produce different results from ., /home, and /. A relative starting point normally produces relative-looking paths; an absolute starting point produces paths rooted at that location.
locate, by contrast, matches patterns against complete paths stored in its database. A pattern can therefore match text in a parent directory as well as in the final filename. Implementations that provide -b can restrict the match to the basename, but that option is not universal. If you need an exact current basename and object type, use a follow-up find command.
Both commands can print names containing spaces, tabs, or newline characters. Treat output as data rather than as a list that is automatically safe to split on spaces. For a shell pipeline, use null-delimited output where the receiving command supports it.
Preview results before taking an action
With no explicit action, GNU find prints matching paths. Treat that output as a preview. Do not begin with deletion or a command that changes files until the displayed set is exactly what you intend.
Delete only after verifying the expression
find /tmp -type f -name '*.tmp' -mtime +30 -printReview the paths first. If the result is correct and you have a backup or recovery plan, an explicit deletion action can be added:
find /tmp -type f -name '*.tmp' -mtime +30 -delete-delete is irreversible from the command’s perspective. Start with a narrow directory, avoid running as the superuser unless required, and never test a destructive expression against / or another broad starting point.
Run a command for each match
find . -type f -name '*.log' -exec wc -l {} ;The {} token is replaced with each matching path. The escaped semicolon terminates -exec so the shell does not consume it. For commands that can process several paths at once, use + instead:
find . -type f -name '*.log' -exec wc -l {} +Always quote or safely delimit paths when constructing more complex shell actions. A filename can contain spaces, tabs, or characters that have meaning to a shell.
Handle names safely in pipelines
Plain text pipelines can mis-handle unusual filenames. When a downstream program supports it, prefer a null-delimited form:
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find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 grep -n 'error'This preserves whitespace and newline characters in filenames. If you do not need a pipeline, -exec avoids the extra parsing step.
Using locate for indexed filename searches
The general form is:
locate [option...] pattern...Patterns are matched against paths stored in the database. Supplying a shell-style pattern makes your intention explicit:
locate 'report.pdf'
locate '*[Mm]akefile'The second command finds indexed paths containing a basename spelled Makefile or makefile, along with any matching path components allowed by the implementation. If you want a basename-only match, some implementations provide -b:
locate -b 'report.pdf'Option names and defaults are not identical across GNU locate, mlocate, and plocate. Read man locate on the system where the command will run before putting implementation-specific options in a script.
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locate can return no result even though the file exists. The file may have been created after the last database update, or its directory may be excluded by the updatedb configuration. The index can also omit paths that the database builder cannot read.
To refresh the database, run:
sudo updatedbWhether sudo is needed depends on how the database is configured and where it is stored. On systems that refresh automatically, the interval is distribution-specific; do not assume that a newly created file is indexed immediately.
Understand the indexed scope
updatedb decides which directories are included, which filesystem types or paths are pruned, and which database file is written. A successful command therefore does not guarantee that every mounted filesystem or private directory is searchable with locate. If the path matters and freshness matters, switch to find.
Refreshing and diagnosing the locate database
When a result is missing, separate three questions: does the path exist now, was its directory included in the index, and has the database been refreshed since the path was created? Run a live check such as find /home -name 'report.pdf' first when correctness matters. If find finds the file, run updatedb when you are allowed to refresh the configured database, then repeat the locate query.
If the entry is still absent, inspect the local updatedb and locate manuals and configuration. A path can be intentionally pruned by directory or filesystem type, omitted because the database builder lacks read access, or stored in a database different from the one your command is reading. Refreshing cannot add a path that the configuration excludes.
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Automatic refresh schedules are distribution-specific. Some systems run updatedb periodically, but the exact interval and service mechanism are not portable assumptions. For files created during an active troubleshooting session, a direct find query is the reliable test.
A practical workflow: locate first, find second
- Use
locatefor a fast lead. Start with a distinctive part of the filename, such aslocate 'invoice-2026'. - Check whether the result is current. The path is only evidence from the last database refresh; it is not a live existence check.
- Confirm with
find. For example,find /home/alex -type f -name 'invoice-2026.pdf'tests the current tree and restricts the object type. - Add metadata predicates. Add
-size,-mtime, permissions, or grouped name conditions when the task requires them. - Preview before acting. Print the final match set, then use
-execor-deleteonly after checking the paths.
This two-stage approach uses the index for discovery while keeping verification and file operations tied to the live filesystem.
Choosing a starting path and dealing with permissions
Current directory versus an absolute path
find . never searches above the current directory. If you launched the shell in /home/alex/projects, it will not inspect /home/alex/Downloads. Choose an explicit starting point such as /home, /var/log, or / when the scope requires it.
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A search from / can traverse many directories and may produce permission-denied messages. Narrow the starting point whenever possible. If you do need a system-wide search, run it with appropriate privileges and understand that elevated access changes which files the process can read; it does not change the meaning of the expression.
Symbolic links
By default, implementations commonly examine a symbolic link as a link rather than recursively following its target. GNU find provides options such as -L to follow links, but following links can cross into another tree or create cycles. Use that behavior only when you have defined the intended boundaries and have checked the local manual.
Portability: GNU locate, mlocate, and plocate
The command name does not identify one identical implementation on every Linux distribution. GNU locate, mlocate, and plocate use the same indexed-search idea, but they can differ in available options, quoting behavior, database format, and packaging. Debian documentation describes plocate as a fast way to find files by name and documents shell-safe escaping behavior. Treat implementation-specific switches as local features, not as universally portable syntax.
For scripts shared between machines, keep the expression simple, verify the installed command with its manual, and avoid assuming that a particular database path or refresh service exists. A script that needs current state should use find rather than depending on an index maintained by another package.
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- Unquoted wildcard:
find . -name *.loglets the shell expand the pattern first. Usefind . -name '*.log'. - Unexpected OR results: mixed
-oand implicit AND can apply tests to different parts of the expression. Escape parentheses and group each alternative. - Wrong time interpretation:
-mtime -1measures complete 24-hour periods, not the current calendar date. Choose a predicate that matches your time requirement. - Stale locate output: run
findto check the live tree, or refresh the index withupdatedbwhen you control its configuration. - Missing indexed directories: inspect the
updatedbconfiguration; excluded or unreadable paths will not become locate results. - Searching too broadly: replace
find /with a specific starting directory to reduce runtime, noise, and permission errors. - Acting before inspecting: print matches first, then add an explicit action only after verifying the expression.
- Assuming every locate is the same: GNU locate, mlocate, and plocate can differ in options, quoting behavior, database format, and packaging. Check the installed implementation.
Command cheat sheet
| Goal | Command | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Exact filename below the current directory | find . -name 'report.pdf' |
Live recursive name search. |
| Case-insensitive extension search | find /home -iname '*.jpg' |
Matches JPG, jpg, and other capitalization variants. |
| Only regular log files | find /var/log -type f -name '*.log' |
Excludes directories and other object types. |
| Directories beginning with cache | find /tmp -type d -name 'cache*' |
Matches directory names by wildcard. |
| Large files | find /data -type f -size +100M |
Finds regular files over the stated GNU size threshold. |
| Files modified recently | find /var/log -type f -mtime -1 |
Matches files changed within the last complete 24-hour period. |
| Indexed name lookup | locate 'report.pdf' |
Searches the filename database, which may be stale. |
| Refresh the locate database | sudo updatedb |
Regenerates the configured index when permitted. |
| Verify a locate result live | find /home -type f -name 'report.pdf' |
Checks the current tree and object type. |
Bottom line
Choose find for correctness at query time, metadata filters, controlled scope, and any operation that changes files. Choose locate for a fast filename hint, remember that its database can be stale or selectively scoped, and use updatedb or a follow-up find when the result must reflect what exists now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does locate not find a file I just created?
The file may have been created after the last updatedb run, or its directory may be excluded or unreadable for the database builder. Use find for a live check, then run updatedb if you control the configured database.
Is find or locate faster?
locate is generally the quicker way to get a name-based lead because it scans a prebuilt filename database. find walks the requested directory tree at query time, but it is the appropriate choice when freshness, metadata predicates, or an exact scope matters.
Why must wildcard patterns be quoted?
Without quotes, the shell can expand a pattern such as *.log before find or locate receives it. Quoting passes the pattern unchanged so the command can apply it to every candidate path.
What does -mtime -1 mean?
It selects files modified less than one complete 24-hour period before the command started. It does not mean “modified since midnight,” so use a different predicate when your requirement is based on a calendar date.
How can I search more than one directory with find?
Provide multiple starting points before the expression, for example find /etc /var -name 'settings.conf'. Each tree is traversed using the same tests.
How do I make a destructive find command safer?
First run the exact expression without an action and inspect every printed path. Use a narrow starting directory, avoid unnecessary superuser privileges, and add -delete or -exec only after the match set is correct.
Does locate search every mounted filesystem?
Not necessarily. The updatedb configuration controls included directories, pruned filesystem types or paths, and the database that is written. A successful refresh does not imply that every mount or private directory is indexed.
Can I use the same locate options on every Linux system?
No. GNU locate, mlocate, and plocate share the basic model but can differ in options, quoting behavior, database format, and packaging. Check man locate on the target system before relying on implementation-specific switches.
The Bottom Line
Use locate to discover a likely filename quickly, then use find whenever the answer must be current, filtered by metadata, or safe to act on. Refresh with updatedb only within the configured index scope.
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